Spinning toy



C. T. ROHDE Sept. 24, 1963 SPINNING TOY 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 27, 1960 INVENTOR CARL 7'. ROHDE AT TOR/VEV C. T. ROHDE SPINNING TOY Sept. 24, 1963 5 Sheets- Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 27, 1960 7 7 l h m 4 6.

FIG. 5.

ATTORNEY Sept. 24, 1963 c. T. ROHDE I 3,104,495

SPINNING TOY Filed Dec. 27, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet- 5 INVENTOR. CARL T. ROHDE BY W/.M

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,104,495 SPBNNING TGY Carl T. Rohde, 1116 Old Mill Road, Azusa, Calif. Filed Dec. 27, 1960, Ser. No. 78,396 2 Claims. (Cl. 46-59) The invention relates to mobile toys and more particularly to toys of the type that spin in place. Such moving toys have a fascination for children of all ages. There is constant commercial demand for mobile toys of novel aspect and operation. The basic requirements for commercial success of such toys are that they be simple to manufacture and easy to operate. Many toys of amusing characteristics have been unsuccessful because manufacturing cost was too high or their mode of operation too complicated. I have invented a toy which is economically feasible to manufacture and easily operated by a child, yet which takes a certain amount of manual coordination so that a physical challenge is afiorded its user.

The invention contemplates an article of manufacture which comprises a central shaft, an actuator rod, and a weight secured to the central shaft to spin therewith, preferably at a distance from the rotational axis of the shaft. A cord connects the central shaft to both ends of the actuating rod, and further means maintain a pivot axis for the central shaft. The cord is adapted to wrap about the shaft so that motion of the actuator rod parallel to the shaft axis causes the shaft to spin about the shaft axis. The means maintaining a pivot axis may be a pivot cup receiving a pivot end on the shaft, or a second rod and cord assembly, with the second rod being movable along the shaft also.

In operation the actuator rod is held adjacent the central shaft transversely thereto. The central shaft is twisted by hand sufliciently to wrap the cord a few turns about the shaft. The actuator rod is then moved along the shaft away from the fastening point of the :cord to the central shaft, causing the cord to unwind from the shaft and spin that member within the pivot cup. Rotating motion of the central shaft is maintained by the flywheel action of the weight at the end of the stroke of the actuator rod along the shaft. When pressure on the actuator rod is relaxed continued shaft rotation wraps the cord about the central shaft oppositely to its initial spiral. Further motion of the actuator rod parallel to the shaft axis away from the cord fastening spins the shaft in a direction opposite to that imparted by the first stroke. Thus for each reciprocation of the actuator rod along the shaft a number of turns is imparted to the shaft.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the flywheel weight is a representation of an animate figure. Since the general appearance of the toy is that of a bow and arrow, a primitive dancer is suggested as a suitable animate figure.

While it is possible to use a pivot cup which may be rested upon the ground or other surface the preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a spinning toy having a pivot cup adapted to be held in the hand. With such a pivot cup the toy may be operated at any angle to the ground, even upside down. In this latter position the pivot cup is gripped in the hand and the pivot end of the central shaft held in position against it by the upward thrust of the actuator rod as the shaft is caused to spin thereby. The weight is necessary to easy operation of the toy. The weight may be, but need not be, a wheel. One requirement is that the mass of the wheel rotates with the central shaft. The connection between the weight spaced from the axis of the shaft may be semi-rigid, or rigid only in the plane of rotation of the shaft. Thus weights suggesting conventional objects such as straw hats may be utilized. A hat may be fixed about the central shaft and its brim mass increased by small weights fixed thereto.

3,104,495 Patented Sept. 24, 1963 "ice The weight or weights may be placed either above or below the fastening of the cord to the central shaft, so long as the weight does not interfere with reciprocal motion of the actuator rod parallel to the central shaft.

The spinning toy of the invention needs little room for operation, can be successfully operated by very small children and is appealing to children of all ages. The mechanical arrangement of the toy is simple and the outward appearance of the toy may be altered considerably for wider appeal.

These and other advantages of the invention are apparent in the following detailed description and drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a toy of the invention in use;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the alternate embodiment of the invention using a plurality of flywheel weights;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevation, partly broken away, of a further alternate embodiment of the invention in which the actuator rod is pierced at midpoint by the central shaft;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view partly in section of an alternate embodiment of the invention having a pivot cup adapted to rest upon the ground or other surfaces;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional elevation taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a invention.

In FIG. .1 a spinning toy 16 in accordance with the invention has a central shaft 11 with a pivot end 12. The central shaft pivot end seats in a conical indentation 13 of a pivot cup 14 having a handle 15 held by user.

Near an upper end 17 of the central shaft a loop 19 of an actuating cord 21 passes through a small transverse hole 22 in the central shaft. The projecting loop is passed over end 17 and the cord drawn tightly back through the hole so that loop 19 is secured about the central shaft.

further embodiment of the Ends 24, 25 of the cord are fixed to opposite ends of an actuator rod 26. The ends of the cord may be fixed as shown by being passed through holes adjacent the ends of the actuator rod and then being knotted toprevent ends of the cord from being pulled back through the actuator rod.

7 pair of rigid weight supports 31, 32 extend from the central shaft at a point between the cord fastening and the pivot end. Supports 31, 32 hold flywheel weights 33,

34 respectively. The weights may be small, relatively heavy spheres which, because of the rigid supports 31, 32 spin with the central shaft. The weights help maintain central shaft inertia.

tThe spinning toy of FIG. 1 is operated by first placing the pivot end in the pivot cup, then spinning the central shaft with thumb and forefinger so that cord 21 winds about the shaft as shown in FIG. 1. Winding is done while the actuator rod is held perpendicular to the shaft. Then actuator rod 26 is moved along the central shaft to the position shown in dottedwli-nes in FIG. 1. The rod is held so that its midpoint is adjacent the shaft. The actuator rod is moved without allowing it to revolve about the central shaft away from loop 19. Therefore the central shaft must spin to unwind the cord as the rod is moved. Once the cord is unwound, the flywheel weights tend to keep the shaft spinning. As pressure is relaxed on the actuator rod the cord rewinds in the opposite direction about the central shaft, lifting the rod toward loop 19 into position for another actuator rod stroke away from the loop. It can be seen from the foregoing description that the central shaft rotates in an opposite direction for each succeeding reciprocation of the actuator rod.

- The spinning toy :of FIG. 1 maybe operated in a substantially vertical position, in the slanted position shown 3 in FIG. 1, or at any attitude. By utilizing the handheld pivot cup, the toy may even be operated as previously noted with the pivot end of the central shaft uppermost.

As noted heretofore, the position of the flywheel weight along the central shaft is not critical so long as that position does not interfere with. operation of the actuating rod. FIG. 2 shows a spinning toy in accordance with the invention having a central shaft 41, an actuator rod 43 and an actuating cord 44. The central shaft rests in a pivot cup 46 which may be held in the hand.

The toy of FIG. 2 has a pair of flywheel weights 48, 49, one fixed at the top of the central shaft and the other intermediate the actuator rod and the bearing or pivot end of the shaft. Lower weight 48 may be a toy hat of plaited straw, with a weighted brim. The use of two weights separated along the shaft gives better balance. However the device operates with only one fly wheel weight, which may be either of the weight positions shown in FIG. 2. A fringe of flexible strands 51 may be fixed to one or both of the weights to accentuate the spinning motion of the central shaft.

In FIG. 3 a spinning toy 55 is shown fragmentarily. The toy of FIG. 3 has a central shaft 57, a flywheel weight 58 having a rim 59 and a central hub 61. Hub 61has a keyway 53 in a central hub passage 64. Shaft 57 passes through hub 61. A key 66 fixed on the shaft engages keyway 63 of the hub. A plurality of radial airfoils 68, 69 project from the hub and sustain rim 59. Rotation of shaft 57 is communicated to weight rim 59 through the key and keyway and the airfo-ils.

In addition to fixing the flywheel weight with respect to the rotation of the shaft, airfoils 63, 69 operate when shaft 57 spins to lift the flywheel weight and its hub up the shaft along the keyway. Thus, as the shaft rotates the airfoils alternately lift and depress the flywheel weight 58 between stops 71, 72 of the shaft in response to the alternate rotations of the shaft. Other similarly arranged flywheel weights of differing configurations may be caused to move axially along the shaft in response to its rotation, as does the rod. I

The spinning toys of FIGS. 1 and 2 are simple devices built so that the relationship of the actuator rod and the central shaft is maintained by the users dexterity. In FIG. 4 a sophisticated version of the toy of the invention is depicted. A spinning toy 75 has a central shaft 77. An actuating cord 78 is secured near its central point to the upper portion of the shaft in convenient fashion. Ends 79 of the actuating cord are fixed at opposite endsof an actuator bow or rod 80. Rod 80 has a hollow central hub 81 through which the central shaft extends. The hollow hub acts as a sleeve guiding the actuator rod in a path along the central shaft parallel to the rotating axis of the shaft. Shaft 77 has a semispher'ical pivot end 83. The pivot end fits in a preferably conical indentation 84 of a pivot cup 85 (see FIG.

' The pivot cup may be frustoconical and be adapted to set up on the ground or other surface.

As shown in FIG. 5, spherical end 83 is retained within the pivot cup by a cup lip 87 overhanging half of the conical indentation. A lock slide 8 8 having a semicircular indentation 89 is slidable in a groove 91 of the pivot cup. After the pivot end or sphere of shaft 77 is inserted into indentation 84, slide lock 88 is moved 4 and 5 may be a representation of an animate object.

The figure 101 shown is a fanciful one having upper limbs H92, 103 extending outwardly from the central shaft so that they contribute to maintaining the inertia of the shaft through centrifugal effects. distended semi-conical skirt 195 with a lower thickened rim 1%. Rim 105 also tends to maintain shaft inertia through its centrifugal effect. The rim is rigidly fixed rotationally with respect to the shaft by the thinner wall portion 198 of the skirt and a pin 109 extending through the figure and the shaft.

The limbs of the figure may have metallic bands 111 near their extremities, in which case a thickened rim is not necessary for the flywheel weight. Either weighted extremities or a rim such as 106 may be used in a figure suitably proportioned skirt cone would extend down- Wardly about the varying triangle of the actuating cord and mask some or all of the activity :of the cord.

A further embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 6, wherein the means for maintaining the central I shaft pivot axis is a second actuator rod and actuating cord assembly. In FIG. 6 a spinning toy comprises a central shaft 112 to which a first actuating cord 113 is fixed.

shaft.

point 116 spaced from an end 117 of the rod to leave a rod handle 118. The other cord end is fastened near.

opposite end 119 of the rod.

At or near the midpoint of the central shaft a first weight 121 is secured to the shaft to spin therewith. A second weight 123 is secured adjacent end 114 of the central shaft. central shaft as to exert a flywheel action on the shaft- The midpoint of a second actuating cord 131 is secured to the central shaft at a point 132 remote from first actuating cord 11%. One end 134 of the second cord is fixed to a second actuator rod 136 near an end 137 of the rod, The other end 138 of the cord is fixed to the rod away from opposite rod end 139 to leave a rod handle 141..

Preferably, a third weight 143 is fixed to the central shaft adjacent point 132-, where the second cord is fixed. The first weight is normally suflicient to provide its cord to the central shaft and along a path parallel to the shaft is then suificient to start the shaft spinning. The second actuator rod and actuating cord act to maintain the central shaft alignment with respect to rod movement in much the same manner. as does a pivot cup, with the added advantage of increasing the force that induces shaft spin because of the second actuating cord torque.

The toy may be operated in any plane by dextrous players. Rapid spinning may be inducted by properly timed movement of the two rods toward and away from one another once initial spin has been instituted. If slight- 1y elastic actuating cords are used, properly timed recip rocation of the actuator rods along the shaft can induce a Wrapping action of the two cords without the need of direct manual twisting of the shaft.

As with the previously described embodiments, the toy of FIG. 6 may comprise a central shaft and a weight or weights representing animate figures. A rhythm no1se maybe incorporated into the toy byuse of a crooked central shaft, which slaps against the actuator rods as it Figure 101 also has a The midpoint of the cord may be secured in.

any convenient fashion near an end 114 of the central The free ends of the cord are fastened to a first actuator rod 115. One end of the cord is fixed at a Each of the weights is so secured to the A motion of either actuator rod away from the fastening point of 5 spins. A similar effect may obtain from use of an eccentrically spinning weight secured to the shaft.

The apparatus of the invention has been operated successfully, and in a wide ranges of sizes, varying from a central shaft of 8 inches in length to a central shaft 3 feet in length. The number of turns the shaft takes before reversing its rotation is dependent upon the length of the actuating cord and the central shaft diameter. Many pleasing motion patterns can be effected by the top of the invention. For instance, the actuating cord color may contrast with the central shaft color so that a repetitive spiral pattern which grows and recedes is apparent. The flywheel weights may be solid discs and be striped to give various spinning color patterns. As shown particularly by FIGS. 2 and 4, the weights may take many shapes, depending upon the particular market appealed to.

The toy is simple to manufacture from conventional materials and may be sold as an unassembled kit since assembly is relatively easy. Many other variations within the scope of the invention will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art in addition to the exemplary forms disclosed in the application. Therefore the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than by the illustrative embodiments.

I claim:

'1. A spinning toy comprising a central shaft, an actuator rod movable along the central shaft, a cord connecting between the central shaft and the ends of the actuator rod, a flywheel weight secured to the central shaft to spin therewith, a second actuator rod movable along the central shaft, a second cord connecting between the second actuator rod and a fixed point on the central shaft remote from the connection thereto of the first cord, the second actuator rod and cord maintaining a pivot axis for the central shaft.

2. A toy in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a second weight adjacent an end of the central shaft, and

a third weight adjacent an opposite end of the central shaft, the first weight being secured centrally of the length of the central shaft, and the second and third weights secured to the central shaft to spin therewith.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,621,784 Jenkins Mar. 22, 1927 1,788,869 Harper Jan. 13, 1931 2,518,840 Tunstall Aug. 15, 1950 

1. A SPINNING TOY COMPRISING A CENTRAL SHAFT, AN ACTUATOR ROD MOVABLE ALONG THE CENTRAL SHAFT, A CORD CONNECTING BETWEEN THE CENTRAL SHAFT AND THE ENDS OF THE ACTUATOR ROD, A FLYWHEEL WEIGHT SECURED TO THE CENTRAL SHAFT TO SPIN THEREWITH, A SECOND ACTUATOR ROD MOVABLE ALONG THE CENTRAL SHAFT, A SECOND CORD CONNECTING BETWEEN THE SECOND ACTUATOR ROD AND A FIXED POINT ON THE CENTRAL SHAFT REMOTE FROM THE CONNECTION THERETO OF THE FIRST CORD, THE SECOND ACTUATOR ROD AND CORD MAINTAINING A PIVOT AXIS FOR THE CENTRAL SHAFT. 